The Scribbler - Spiral Theater

Love a themed program

Sometimes you get the joy of seeing two very different theater companies do shows that perfectly exemplify their values and goals. Last night was The Scribbler produced and performed by Spiral Theater at the Phoenix Theater. The invite email I received, and the press release with it described Spiral Theater as a company that produces "silly shows that emphasize our most absurd selves, the wild possibilities of language, and the creative spirit...Spiral supports and inspires an actively engaged community of non-professional professional actors, art hobbyists, natural creatives, and passively practicing artists." They strive to create an environment that is casual, lively, and accessible for all audiences through the process of taking silly seriously.

I saw their show The Scribbler, and it did just that. There was so much wordplay and over-the-top silliness being presented to an audience who was loving it. The audience was a mix of ages, and, like a lot of smaller theater groups, felt like there were a lot of friends and family...or at least fans of Spiral. And what more could you want in an audience? They were lively, laughing, and having a good time. And that is exactly what they should be doing with a show like this.

The show is about 70 min, no intermission, and is non-stop tomfoolery. The story takes place in the "old times" where the majority of people were illiterate. This unnamed town though, that happens to be close to the King's castle, in this unnamed country has one person who can read and write - the scrivener (or the scribbler)...Bartleby (Kevin Duong). However, Bartleby has a secret which is that he actually doesn't know how to read or write, except for one phrase, and so his sister Athena (Amanda Marquis) does all the work for him. Why, you ask, does he take the credit for her work? Well, King Scoopty Woop (Kyle Munshower) decreed that women are not allowed to read or write, or do anything they want, or get anything they need. So Athena works with cows in the work factory, and when she is home she reads the letters, and hears from Bartleby what he told the customer he would write. Suddenly the King receives a letter from the Queen of Luxembrovia (Maggie Thompson) and sends it with Stuart the Steward (Ileri Okikiolu) to get it read. It ends up being a declaration of war... Will Bartleby and Athena be able to keep the peace? Will the guidance of the King's Therapist (Davis Brinker) do any good? Will the clever wordplay ever stop? You will have to go and find out for yourself.

The performances were exactly what were needed for a story and script like this. They were manic, funny, silly, full of tomfoolery, sight gags, physical comedy, and all the other good things that comedy needs. The show has a simple set with two areas - the home of Athena and Bartleby on one side, and the King's room on the other. Costumes were simple and effective, as was the lighting. There was live music (piano, violin, and other noisemakers) through out to help punctuate the moments. This specific piece was done at fringe, and though it has been expanded it still retains that fringe feel to it. In this case, that is a good thing. I look forward to seeing more work by Spiral Theater.